Canadian family creates world’s largest QR code in cornfield maze

Covered on ABC News earlier today, the Kraay family of Alberta, Canada decided to set the Guinness world record for the largest Quick Response (QR) code ever created. Created on a total area of fifteen acres with the QR code using seven, the Kraay family contacted a maze designer in order to help them pull off this feat. Regarding the concept for the design, Rachel Kraay stated “We were just sitting around reading magazines and stuff when we saw one of the QR codes on the cover. I thought, ‘You know it kinds of looks like a maze, I wonder if we could make one?’ and the idea just kind of snowballed from there.“

After the corn was removed from specific areas of the field, the family had to darken the path quite a bit more in order to work correctly as a QR code. Once the family thought the QR code would be effective, they used a helicopter to fly over the field and successfully scanned the code with a mobile smartphone.

For anyone unfamiliar with QR codes, scanning a code with a smartphone camera usually opens up the Web browser in order to load a site. In the case of the giant QR code etched into the cornfield, that QR code automatically loads the official Kraay family farm site that details other attractions at the farm. Beyond the maze, visitors can also check out the petting zoo, watch pig races or play eighteen holes of mini-golf.

Besides the QR code in the center of the field, there’s an extensive maze around the edges of the main design. This isn’t the first time that the Kraay family has constructed a giant maze out of their cornfield. During 2011, the Kraay family constructed a giant maze with the image of Canadian paralympian Rick Hansen in the middle of the entire design. Other images constructed in prior years include images of Canada and Alberta, country music star Paul Brandt, logos for various Canadian sports teams, logos to promote travel to Alberta, a smiling scarecrow and an image to support the Canadian Foodgrains bank.

After recording a successful QR code scan from an aerial view, the Kraay family also had to compile witness statements as well as photographs before sending everything to Guinness World Records. In an interview with CTV News, Rachel Kraay said “It was something that we didn’t think would happen. There were a lot of little things we had to do and Guinness is pretty picky with how you collect your evidence. We were a little bit on edge on whether it would come through so we were very relieved and very excited.”

Weeks later, the Kraay family discovered a package from Guinness World Records that included a certificate and letter officially acknowledging the QR code as the largest design in the world. The family hopes that the offcial certification from Guinness World Records will bring more people to the farm as well as more attention to local businesses. To celebrate the achievement, the family has planned a party for later in the week.